Feeding mechanism for carding-engines



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W. O. BRAMWELL. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GARDING ENGINES. N0. 311,94 8Patented Feb. 10,1885.

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INVENTUR Patented Feb. 10, 1885.

W. O. BRAMWBLL. I FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GARDING ENGINES. No. 811,948.

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WITNEEEEE:

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

W. O. BRAMWELL.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GARDING ENGINES.

Patented Feb. 10, 1885.

WITNEEEEE INVENTDR 0% $45M Z/Y 'S 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W" 0.. BRAMWELL,

h FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GARDING ENGINES. No. 311,948.

(No Model.)

Patented Feb. 10, 1885.

INVENTUR WITNESS-1E5 N PETERS. Phmo-Lithugmpher. Washingmm D. c,

rrnn r/lrns Earervr @rrrca FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CARDlNG-ENGINES,

SPECIFrCATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,948, dated February10, 1885.

Application filed May 7, 1883. (N0 model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM G. BRAMWELL. of Hyde Park, in the county ofNorfolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented new and usefulImprovements in Feeding Mechanism for Caroling-Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

In that class of cardingmachines in which the card is fed by means of acontinuous roving or sliver laid diagonally upon belts placed and heldso as to move in a path at right angles to the feed'rollers and axis ofthe cardcylinder the accumulated sliver or roving on the shorter of thenarrow belts constituting the feeding-table is taken therefrom by thefeed-rollers more readily than at that part'of the table where the beltsare the longest, which results in an unequal supply of wool to the card.In such class of feeding mechanism the sliver or roving is laid acrossthe narrow belts diagonally, and the mass of sliver or roving on theseries of belts has a teudency to crawl, as I denominate it, toward thebelts of least length. It is a great (lesideratum to present as manyends as possible to the feed rollers, and to be able to present the massof sliver or roving in a uniformly-compact condition; but when therollers of the traveler are driven frictionally instead of positivelythe sliver or roving cannot be compacted or laid snugly each layer sideby side to the necessary degree. In my experiments I have found that thesliver or roving can be laid on the belts much more closely if flattenedby the rolls of the traveler, and if one edge of the sliver so flattenedis delivered upon the belts of the table; and one object of my inventionis the production of a mechanism, substantially as will be described,forflattening the sliver and presenting its edge to, the belts. I have alsofound that the delivery of the wool to the feed-rolls and card may bemore uniform, and that all crawling of the sliver across the belts maybe effectually avoided by placing the hei s in diagonal position withrelation to the feedrolls, so that the sliver may be laid on the beltsat right angles thereto,instead of diagonally, as heretofore done.Laying the slivers on the belts at right angles to the length of thelatter enables said slivers to be carried uniformly forward at each end,and the belts do not have any tendency to draw the slivers across thetable.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains that by flattening the sliver and laying it up edge- Wise inathroat, and then compressing the same before it is laid on the belts, amuch larger quantity of material or length of sliver can be got upon thetable than is possible when the sliveris fed in its round form,orwithout compression, and therefore a proportionately larger number ofends of said slivers will be presented to the carding-cylindersatonetime, and, consequently, that the inequalities of the individualslivers will be compensated for and equalized in proportion to theincreased num ber of slivers which may be presented simultaneousl y tothe feed-rollers.

In this my invention I have placed in front of the roller which drivesthe feeding-belts, and between it and the rear side of the traveler, twoplates, which constitute a throat, through which the sliver, laid inparallel rows by the traveler. is forced into position to pass upon thebelts, and above the roller which drives the said belts, and at the rearside of the said throat, and parallel with the said roller, I havearranged a retarding-roller, and have placed its periphery at such adistance from the belts as to leave a narrowerspace between theretarding-roller and the belts than between the upper and lower platesconstituting the throat, so that thesliver laid into the throat may beuniformly compacted therein to the desired extent between the front sideof the throat and the retarding-roll and belts, thus permitting thesliver to be laid together row after row in the throat, and to becondensed to the desired extent preparatory to being delivered upon thebelts, condensed sliver passed over the throat being delivered upon thefeedplates with their thin edges uppermost, each sliver standing on edgeclose to and between slivers at each side. From six to eight movementsof the traveler fills the throat with sliver, ready to be delivered uponthe belts, and compresses the said sliver sufficiently to be takenwithout further compression by the feed-rollers of the card as the beltsbring the sliver to the said feed-rollers. This throat andretarding-roller arranged in front of the belts are of very considerablesliver heretofore wasted,-

' especially when starting to feed the card with a new lot of wool.

In the old plans prior to my invention the sliver was condensed toalimited extent between the traveler and feed-rollers for the card,whereas in my plan it is condensed before it is fed upon the table, andin the old plan, if

the condensing of the sliver was attempted to any considerable extent,the mass of sliveron the table was liable to bunch or curl up to suchdegree as to render the operation of the machine impracticable. Theretarding-roller being parallel with the path of the sliver, it is clearthat the density of the wool passing it is equal and uniform, and that,too, irrespective of the amount of wool on the table at the rear of thesaid roller. By adopting positive motion for the various parts, andcombining them together by gearing, instead of depend ing upon belts,there is insured a simultaneous movement of the sliver onto thefeed-belts in its progress toward the card.

In carding-machines heretofore used, and

fed by a continuoussliver, as herein referred -to, the taker-in has beenrun at a comparatively slow speed to avoid waste resulting from throwingthe fiber on the floor. To enable the taker-in to be run at a highspeed, and to avoid such waste, I have providedaperforated shell, whichI have placed under the taker-in, and havesupported the said shell fromthe hearing of the shaftof the taker-in, so that the said shell followsthe taker-in in all the adj ustments of the latter, which would not bethe caseif the'shell were connected with the framework of thecardinginachine, as heretofore. I have enlarged or extended the frame ofthe feeding apparatus to properly sustain not only the feed-rolls, butthe taker-in and the shell.

Figure lis a plan View of my feeding apparatus, theretarding-roll andthe upper feed-roll being brok en out, and also partof the hoodwhichcovers the gear 16. Fig. 2 is an elevation of that end of the apparatuswhere the belts are the shortest. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan of that endof the apparatus where the belts are the shortest; Fig. 4, across-section through linew m, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail inelevation of the taker-in, the shell, and other parts to be described.Fig. 6is a cross-section through line 3/ y, Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the feeding apparatus, the hood coveringthe gear 16 being omitted, part of the frame-work being broken out toshow the shaft 34 and its gear.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A is the frame of the carding-machine, on

of the carding-cylinder.

i B is the frame-work of the feeding apparatus, which is shown as castin one piece, in elusive of the projecting bases B,which receive thebearings for the feed-rolls and taker-in cylinder, and aid in supportingthe perforated shell. The outwardly-projecting end of the framework B issupported by an adjustable leg, as, (see Fig. 7,) fitting in a socketedplate orbase, b, fixed to the fioor and held therein by the set-screw b.The driving-shaft 0 receivesits motion from any convenient source as,for instance, by a belt, b extended from the pulley 2 to the pulley b onthe shaft of the taker-in, the latter at its other end having a pulley,b which will be driven-by a belt, b extended about a pulley on the mainshaft The shaft 0, is supported by the bracket 8, fixed to a lugprojecting from the supporting end plate, 4, which is suitably bolted tothe frame-work. There is one of these supporting end plates at eachendof the apparatus, and they support the longitudinally-slotted shaft 6,which receives its motion from the shaft 0 through a pair ofbevel-gears, 6 7. Shaft 6 is rotated in the boxes 8, each provided witha shank which is passed through a right-angled bracket, '10, the boxesbeing held therein by a nut, 9. Each bracket has adownwardly-projectingfoot,which is fitted into the base 11, cast uponthe plate 4, the foot being held therein by the set-screw 12, thebracket 10 being raised and lowered by the screw 13. This arrangementallows the boxes 8 to be adjusted to place the shaft 6 in properposition.

Beneath the slotted shaft 6, and parallel with it, is a track or guide,14, fixed to the frame-work of the feeding apparatus, which track servesnot only to support the traveler or carrier T ,-(shown in Figs. 1, 4,and 7,) but also acts as a guide to hold the lower part of the travelerup to the throat, to be described. Thelower part of this traveler hasstuds 15,

which support a pair of grooved wheels, 15,

(see Figs. 4 and 7,) the said wheels running upon the track 14. Theshaft 6, slotted at 6", Figs. 3 and 4, and passed through the hubs 17 ofthe traveler, carries a double-bevel gear, 16, having a key or featherwithin its boss, which enters and slides in the slot in the said shaft.The double-bevel gear 16 is kept equidistant between the hubs 17 of thetraveler by a pair of sleeves, '18, which fit the shaft 6, and are fixedwithin the hubs of the traveler by set screws 19. These sleeves havetheir inner ends countersunk. The traveler has'fixed to it a hood, 7,which covers the gears 16, and also serves as a support forthe verticalslotted plate 21, that receives a pin, 22, fixed to the endless chain23, driven'by the bevel-gears 24 and 24 and sprocket-gear 25, the wholereceiving motion by gears 26 27 28 from the shaft 6, as shown in Fig. 2.The other end r f which my improved feeding mechanism or apthe chain issupported and carried by the according to the wool to be fed.

sprocket-gear 29, running loose upon the stud thereby leave the travelerstationary. The

arms 31 and 32, (see Figs. 1, 3, and 4,) supporting the operative partsof the chain, are suitably attached to the end pieces, 4. The arm 32 isshown in Fig. 1 as connected by a bolt, 32*, extended through a slot,(shown in dotted lines,) so that the arm 32. may be ad justed toward orfrom the arm 31, according to the length of the chain. The traveler alsocarries a pair of vertical rolls, 31, having upright spindles 35, whichpass through holes cast inthe horizontal web or partition uniting thetwo hubs of the traveler, and to the upper ends of said spindles bevelgears 32 are fixed. each of which is engaged by the doublebevel gear 16,which is placed between them, and from which they receive their motion.The front of the traveler is provided with an oblong slot, 33, throughwhich and between the rolls 31 the sliver to be fed is passed. The rolls31 are in practice quite close together say from one-eighth totliree-eighths of an inch apart-so that as the sliver passes betweenthem it is flattened or compressed from a round into a flat shape. tedshaft 6 is turned upon its axis, motion will be simultaneously impartedto the vertical rolls 31 and the chain 23, and thus a certain length ofsliver will be uniformly drawn and flattened and have its edge laid onthe plate \V, located at the rear of the traveler, the said plate,together with the plate V above it, constituting a throat in advance ofthe retarding-roll 39, to be described. The sliver so compressed is laidupon its edge on the said plate \V without stretching the same, andwithout injury to its continuity. The roller 34 (see Fig. 4) carries theendless feed-belts 36, whose other ends are carried by separate smallpulleys 37, each having its journals supported by lugs 37*, (see Figs. 1and 3,) extended upward from a plate or cross piece, A the said lugsbeing so shaped as to leave between them spaces within which the saidpulleys revolve. The belts 36 are driven by the roll 34, and part or allof them .may have teeth projecting from their outer sides, These beltsconstitute a feedtable, and are arranged at right angles with relationto the path of the traveler and the axis of the shafts, and diagonallywith relation to the feed-rolls F G, and the sliver is laid on the saidbelts at right angles to the length of the latter, so that the saidbelts carry the sliver uniformly forward hen the slotand withouttendency to move it laterally thereon, as in machines where thefeed-belts are at right angles to the feed-rolls.

Above the apron-roll 34 is fixed a retarding-roll, 3.9,which may beprovided with teeth, or left smooth, as the case may require. It isjonrnaled at each end in the boxes 40, which have short spindles 41 castupon them, and which extend loosely into the forked projections of aplate, 43, (shown in Fig. 4,) which permits the boxes to adjustthemselves to the journals of the said roll. The plate 43 is fixed by abolt, 44, passing through a slot, 45, (see Fig. 2,) in the endsupporting-plate, 4, so as to allow of its adjustment with relation tothe lower or belt roll, 34, and belts 36. The reta-rdingroll 39 receivesits motion from the shaft of the roll 34 by gears 34 and 42. (See Fig.7.) The belt-roll 34 receives its motion from the lower feedroll, F, bythe face-gear B, Fig. 3, driving the bevel-gear S, fixed to the outerend of a short shaft, T, whose inner end has a bevelgear, U, gearingwith a larger bevel-gear, V, attached to the shaft of the feed-belt roll34, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus the belts or hands have positive movementsimparted to them from the feed-rolls. The rolls 31 pass beneath thesmooth plate V, and the flattened sliver is condensed in the throat orspace between this plate and the plate 1V, Figs. 4 and 7, the latterplate being fixed so as to be level with the top of the feedingbelts.The rolls 34 and 39 take the condensedwool away from the said throat,the speed of the said rolls thus determini ug the extent to which thesliver is condensed in the said throat in advance of the retarding-rolL-Leaving the rolls 34 and 39, the feed-belts continue the progress of thewool toward the feed-rolls G and F, by which the wool is transferred tothe taker-in D, while the latter presents the wool to the cylinder ofthe cardingmachine.

The frame-work of the feeding apparatusat each side-or end is extendedin the form of.

an arm to rest on the card-frame and form a base, 13, Fig. 2, upon whicha sliding bearingplate. 6, having an upright standard, F, is fixed bythe bolt f, which passes through a slot in the plate or foot of thestandard and screws into the base 13. The base B is turned upward at itsouter end, d, and slotted to receive a shouldered bolt, L, which screwsinto the bearing-plate e, and as the two feed-rolls G F and takerin Daresupported by the slide e, the screw-bolt L, on being turned, servesto move them alltogether toward or away from the cylinder of thecardingmachine. The taker-in D is supported in a boxbc-aring, 9, havinga pivot, h, cast upon it and entering a recess in thestandardF. Aconicalpivoted screw, h, also enters a recess in the box, and is there held bythe check-nut h. The lower feedroll, F, is supported in an open topswivelbearing, H, held by the bolt z in the slotted plate J, which isfixed to the standard F by a bolt, J", as shown. The plate J has aslotted IIO lug,which receives a shouldered bolt, j,which screws intothe standard F, and when said bolt is turned the lower feed-roll ismoved toward or away from the taker-in D. The arm K is secured to theupper part of the stand ard F by a bolt, K, (see Fig. 6,) extendedthrough a slot in the arm, and the latter is raised or lowered by thebolt Z, the lower end of which rests loosely upon a square block, l,

arm K, turning the bolt down raising the said arm, while the oppositemovement of the bolt shortens its end below the ear and permits the armK to descend by reason of its own weight. The bolt K passes through theblock Z and standard F. On the arm K a sliding block, at, is fixed by abolt, m, at the back, which latter passes through a slot in said arm andscrews into the sliding piece m, which is provided near its top partwith a projecting lug, m", bored to receive the spindle a, havinganenlarged end, 11., a nut, 01', holding it thereto. The box 0 ol theupper feed-roll has two upwardly-projecting lugs, (see Fig. 2,) whichreceive between them the pendent lug t, forming part of the enlarged enda of the spindle a, above referred to, the said lugs receiving a pin, 0,thus forming a joint, so that the box 0 is free to turn to adjust itselfto the requirements of the journal of the feed-roll. The shoulderedboltp (see Figs. 2, 3, and 6) rests in the slot of a lugprojectingfromsliding piece m, and screws into an ear, n, of the arm K, so that whenturned it will move the sliding piece m along the arm K. and with it theupper feed-roll, toward or from thetaker-in D.

. It will be seen that the taker-in and rolls FG may be moved in anydirection independently of each other by the bolts l jp. or the wholemay be moved simultaneously toward or from the carding-machine by thebolt L. The slid shell keeps the wool from falling away from thetaker-in, but permits the dirt in the wool to escape through theperforations of the shell.

Iclaim- 1. The feed-rolls F G- and the series of endless belts placeddiagonally with relation to the axes of rotation of the said feed-rolls,combined with means to rotate the said belts, to operate substantiallyas described.

2; The feed-rolls F G, a series of endless belts placed diagonally withrelation to the axes of rotation of the said rolls, and a traveler tolay a sliver on the said belts at right angles to their length, combinedwith means to operate the said belts, rolls, and traveler, as and forthe purposes set forth.

3. The series of endless belts, means to move them, the track 14 atright angles to the said belts, and the traveler and its rolls, combinedwith means, substantially as described, to positively reciprocate thesaid traveler and rotate the rolls therein, substantially asset forth.

4. The series of endless belts, means to move them, the traveler, meansto reciprocate the same, the rollers mounted in the said traveler, andmeans to rotate them positively to flatten the sliver and deliver itedgewise into the throat, combined with the plates W and V, constitutinga throat, and with the retardingroll located at the rear side of thesaid throat, to operate substantially as set forth.

5. The feed-rolls F G, the series of endless belts placed diagonallywith relation to the axes of rotation of the said feed-rolls, and

means to move the said rolls and belts, the retardingroll. and theplates W and V, constituting the throat, combined with the traveler, itstrack or guide, and with means to operate the said traveler andretarding-roll, for the purposes specified.

6. The traveler, its track or guide, means to move vthe traveler on thesaid track or guide. the throat composed of the plates W and V, theretarding-roller at the rear of the said throat, the shaft 6, the rolls31, carried by the traveler, the shafts upon which thesaid rolls aremounted, and theirgear 32, combined with gears to movethe gear 32, andwith means to rotate the shaft 6, the rolls 31 being located near eachother to flatten the sliver delivered from between them, substantiallyas described.

7. The framework of the t'eedingapparatus, the taker-in, the feed-rollsF G, and the endless beltsand traveler mounted on the said framework,and means to operate the said taker-in, rolls, belts, and traveler,combined with a perforated shell connected with and made adjustable, inunison with the said feed gears R S U V, feed-rolls F G, shaft or roll34, and feed-bands 36, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

WILLIAM CALVERT BRAM'WELL.

lVitnesses:

HENRY W. WILLI Ms, J OSEPH ISHBAUGH.

IIC

